| Rumors swirl over FLDS purchase of Mancos land | |
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By Katharhynn Heidelberg Cortez Journal Staff Writer | |
Local authorities say that though there are rumors of polygamy in the wake of a Mancos land purchase by a member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there was no proof of any wrongdoing. Additionally, they said, members' constitutional rights should not be overlooked. Others weren't so certain the purchase was innocent. "Religious tolerance is good, and I am religiously tolerant," Jon Krakauer, Boulder author of the FLDS expose` "Under the Banner of Heaven," said Monday. "But this is a really scary group. It's (as if) the Taliban has just moved into Mancos." Multiple marriage is not legal in Colorado and the traditional Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints disavowed the practice in 1890. The FLDS Church was founded by excommunicated Mormons more than 60 years ago along the Utah-Arizona border, at a settlement first called Short Creek. The polygamist community was raided to much negative publicity in 1953, but was later re-christened Colorado City (in Arizona) and Hildale (in Utah). All members' property in the community is reportedly legally owned by the church and its latest "Prophet," Warren Jeffs. The church also has land in Bountiful, Canada, across the border from Idaho, and owns a 1,691-acre ranch near Eldorado, Texas, where authorities suspect another community is being built. The Montezuma County Assessor's office confirmed Monday that David Allred, a Utah man reportedly affiliated with the church, purchased 60 acres in July 2003 on block 15252 of County Road 39, several miles north of Joe Moore Reservoir. Photographs of the site show two large structures, along with a number of portable toilets and storage sheds. Scott Davis, deputy assessor, said Allred allowed him onto the property to conduct an evaluation, but did not allow him inside any buildings, insisting they were all part of a corporate hunting retreat, to which he himself did not have access. Davis said Allred met him at a locked gate, escorted him to the building, then followed Davis out, locking the gate behind him. "I've been doing this for 10 years. Nobody's ever done anything remotely like that (locking the gate)," Davis said, although other property owners have also turned him away. He said it wasn't illegal to turn away an assessor, but that doing so wasn't a good idea because it could result in insufficient information for a complete evaluation. David Doran, sheriff of Schliecher County, Texas, said FLDS members at Eldorado had employed common tactics, but with a reason. "They've said the insides of their buildings are like their temples, so don't be offended if they don't let you in," Doran said Monday. He added that the FLDS had not broken any laws in Texas. "What they tell us consistently is it's a church retreat situation, where the most faithful will be living out there (Eldorado), but others will be traveling out there from time to time before returning to Colorado City." Doran said they were told to expect 200 people at any given time, but with 14 structures, including a church and what looks to be a small community grid, he's been led to believe there will be a larger, possibly permanent, number. "They have a constitutional right to be here," Doran said. "They purchased the land. They haven't violated Texas state law that we're aware of." These sentiments were echoed by Montezuma County Sheriff Joey Chavez. "We have not made any contact at all with the owner of this land," he said. "We haven't had any reason to." Chavez added that if there was evidence of a crime in his jurisdiction, it would be investigated no matter who was involved. "On the other hand, we want to make sure we don't violate anyone's constitutional rights," he said. Davis, a former bail-bondsman, said Allred's alleged behavior set off alarm bells. "Everything just felt wrong," he said. "He was suspicious from the word go. Everything he did made me ask questions in my mind." The Journal could not locate contact information for Allred. Randy Mankin, who broke the story for the Eldorado Success, said he also suspected the corporate hunting lodge explanation was "just a front. It's one of those situations where you know a whole lot more than you can prove." Krakauer said there was little to fear from individual FLDS members, whom he characterized as "hard working, good people," but he was worried about Jeffs. "He's like Richard III, like something out of a Shakespeare play," he said. "You guys down there should be worried. ... He has thousands of followers who would die for him. He would never deign to be brought before a Gentile judge." Critics of the FLDS church contend its polygamist practices promote welfare fraud and the sexual abuse of underage girls. Former male church members have said they were forced out for disagreeing with Jeffs, who reclaimed their properties and businesses as well as their wives and families. Three civil suits are pending against him. Chavez said there was no evidence of criminal offenses on the Mancos property. "No crime has been committed," he said. "There's nothing to look into." Doran said Jeffs is not wanted on criminal charges out of his jurisdiction and he had no idea where Jeffs might be. "There's no cause for alarm," he said. "They've got the constitutional right to be here." Though bigamy is illegal in Texas, Mankin said polygamists there avoid prosecution by having only one legal marriage and taking plural wives in church ceremonies. It's not polygamy per se that makes Davis nervous. "If it was just a matter of multiple wives, it probably wouldn't bother me, but these guys (allegedly) exchange 14-year-old daughters," he said. "That's child abuse, statutory rape - you name it. There's a zillion things you can call this, but none of them are pretty. Who knows what we could have?" | |
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cortezjournal.com Originally published October 26, 2004 | |
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